Originally Posted by
Andy_K
I loaded the AeroRat on the back of my car...
That it can actually be lifted is a wildly successful start to any Huffy adventure!
Originally Posted by
Andy_K
Honestly, it rode better than I was expecting. I have some notes, but most of my complaints could be attributed to a combination of confirmation bias and not having the fit entirely dialed in. Some of it is probably legitimate. Nothing was terrible. No, really. At low speeds, the bike felt like it wanted to wander a bit -- not like abruptly, just a tendency to gently weave. That seemed to abate as I got used to the bike, and it wasn't problematic even at the start, just something I noticed. Once it was up to speed it stayed pretty straight. The handling was actually very pleasant -- smooth and predictable. When coasting, especially heading down hill, the bike felt really nice.
As was my experience, but even moreso. When I first rode the Huffente after all the upgrades, I erupted in laughter. It was hilarious, how good it rode. Some of the 'wandering' you were feeling was the geometry, no doubt. Mine does that too. It has this sort of neutral-but-don't-take-your-hands-off-the-bar kind of thing, which normally you'd attribute to racy Italian type bikes. So its got the twitchy feel of the quick steering bike, but with none of the benefits
. I'm sort of used to it now. Also, some of it may be minor alignment issues. Mine had a few. Yours probably does as well.
Originally Posted by
Andy_K
When pedaling, the bike felt sluggish. This is the part I'm questioning myself about. I don't know what would make it feel that way. I know what you're probably thinking -- the weight -- but even after installing the VO saddle it only weighs a bit over 28 pounds. That's not light by any means, but I really wouldn't expect to feel it. I mean, compared to my usual bikes, most of which weigh around 23 pounds, the difference is pretty small, almost canceled out by the fact that I wasn't carrying water bottles. But the feeling was definitely there. I focused on it a bit on the ride back in the evening, and it seems to me that it felt sluggish in a very similar way to how my Surly Long Haul Trucker felt even when unladen. Perhaps this is the feeling of an overbuilt steel frame? Or maybe it's just my imagination? Or maybe I had tired legs today? Who knows?
Some of it is the weight, and some of it is the geometry, and some of it is the wheelbase. These bikes have relatively long top tubes (think 58cm), and super slack angles. Couple that w/ a heavier bike, and likely that is what you are feeling. I've got some Jack Browns on mine right now, and the feel is a little slower than what I'm used to, but it is a very smooth ride still. Some of this is likely impossible to overcome w/out significant changes (i.e. sawing off the headtube, and re-attaching on at a steeper angle and re-raking the fork...both of which I will absolutely do to a Huffy project in the future), but some of it is definitely the weight. 28lbs...psshh! You can go lower
Originally Posted by
Andy_K
The best thing I can say about this bike is that around halfway through the ride into work this morning I started thinking about other things and completely forgot that I was riding a Huffy. You know the feeling I mean? When you're just riding along, enjoying the experience without thinking about the experience? That happened, and when I snapped out of it and realized that had just happened it really surprised me. I wasn't expecting that.
I think everyone (including myself) forgets that when I started the Huffy project, it was a mere curiosity to see just how good/bad the ride was when actually giving it a half-sporting chance. The fact that it was laughably better than I thought it would be kept me going w/ it, and I have since become the half-serious/half-joking brand ambassador. If it was a worthless endeavor, I would have binned it long ago. What you experienced is what I wish others would as well. Very comparable to a Raleigh Super Course w/ some lighter components like wheels and cranks and stuff.
Originally Posted by
Andy_K
But alas, all good things must come to an end. This will no doubt break AMCO's heart.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO